HISTORY OF not appear to have been altogether dependent upon INDIA. chance. The ancient Hindú dice, known by the Ancient game of name of coupun, are almost precisely similar to the

PART II.

coupun with

cubic dice.

pasha with ob

long dice.

modern dice, being cubic balls thrown out of a box; but the practice of loading is plainly alluded to, and some skill seems to have been occasionally exercised Modern game of in the rattling of the dice box. In the more modern game, known by the name of pasha, the dice are not cubic, but oblong; and they are thrown from the hand, either direct upon the ground, or against a post or board, which will break the fall, and render the result more a matter of chance. It would, however, appear from the Mahá Bhárata that Yudhishthira was invited to a game at coupun.

Legendary account of the

at Hastinapur.

skill of Sakuni, the maternal uncle of Duryodhana.

The legend of the great gambling match at Hastinapur may now be related as follows:

And it came to pass that Duryodhana was very jealous gambling match of the Rajasúya that his cousin Yudhishthira had performed; and he desired in his heart to destroy the Pándavas and Unscrupulous gain possession of their Raj. Now Sakuni was the brother of Gándhári, who was the mother of the Kauravas; and he was very skilful in throwing dice, and in playing with dice that were loaded; insomuch that whenever he played he always won the game. So Duryodhana plotted with his uncle, that Yudhishthira should be invited to a match at gambling, and that Sakuni should challenge him to a game, and win all his wealth and lands.

Duryodhana prevails on the

Maharaja to in

vite the Panda

vas to a gamb

ling match.

After this the wicked Duryodhana proposed to his father, the Maháraja, that they should have a great gambling match at Hastinápur, and that Yudhishthira and his brethren should be invited to the festival. And the Maharaja was glad in his heart that his sons should be friendly with the sons of his deceased brother Pándu; and he sent his younger Vidura carries brother, Vidura, to the city of Indra-prastha to invite the Indra-prastha. Pándavas to the game. And Vidura went his way to the city of the Pandavas, and was received by them with every

the invitation to

INDIA. PART II.

Yudhishthira.

sign of attention and respect. And Yudhishthira inquired HISTORY OF whether his kinsfolk and friends at Hastinapur were all well in health, and Vidura replied, "They are all well." Then Vidura said to the Pándavas :-"Your uncle, the Maharaja, is about to give a great feast, and he has sent me to invite you and your mother, and your joint wife, to come to his city, and there will be a great match at dice-playing." When Reluctance of Yudhishthira heard these words, he was troubled in mind, for he knew that gaming was a frequent cause of strife, and that he was in no way skilful in throwing the dice; and he likewise knew that Sakuni was dwelling at Hastinapur, and that he was a famous gambler. But Yudhishthira remem- His obligation bered that the invitation of the Maharaja was equal to the Maharaja and command of a father, and that no true Kshatriya could re- lenge. fuse a challenge either to war or play. So Yudhishthira accepted the invitation, and gave commandment that on the appointed day, his brethren, and their mother, and their joint wife should accompany him to the city of Hastinapur.

to obey the

accept a chal

Kunti and

ceremony to

taráshtra and

hári.

When the day arrived for the departure of the Pándavas, The Pandavas they took their mother Kuntí, and their joint wife Draupadí, tinapur with and journeyed from Indra-prastha to the city of Hastinapur. Draupadi. And when they entered the city they first paid a visit of Pay visits of respect to the Maháraja; and they found him sitting amongst Maharaja Dhrihis Chieftains; and the ancient Bhishma, and the preceptor the Rání GándDrona, and Karna, who was the friend of Duryodhana, and many others were sitting there also. And when the Pándavas had done reverence to the Maháraja, and respectfully saluted all present, they paid a visit to their aunt Gándhári, and did her reverence likewise. And after they had done Jealousy of the this, their mother and joint wife entered the presence of Kauravas at the Gándhári, and respectfully saluted her; and the wives of the gance of DrauKauravas came in and were made known to Kuntí and Draupadí. And the wives of the Kauravas were much surprised when they beheld the beauty and fine raiment of Draupadí; and they were very jealous of their kinswoman. And when all their visits had been paid, the Pandavas The Pandavas retired with their wife and mother to the quarters which had quarters and rebeen prepared for them, and when it was evening they of their friends.

wives of the

beauty and ele

padi.

return to their

ceive the visits

HISTORY OF received the visits of all their friends who were dwelling at

INDIA.

PART II.

Morning of the

conducted to the pavilion.

Sakuni chal

lenges Yudhish

at dice.

Yudhishthira requires that play fair.

Hastinapur.

Now on the morrow the gambling match was to be gambling match. played; so when the morning had come, the Pándavas bathed and dressed, and left Draupadí in the lodging which had been prepared for her, and went their way to the palace. The Pandavas And the Pándavas again paid their respects to their uncle the Maharaja, and were then conducted to the pavilion where the play was to be; and Duryodhana went with them, together with all his brethren, and all the Chieftains of the royal house. And when the assembly had all taken their thira to a game seats, Sakuni said to Yudhishthira :-" The ground here has all been prepared, and the dice are all ready: Come now, I pray you, and play a game." But Yudhishthira was disSakuni should inclined, and replied:-" I will not play excepting upon fair terms; but if you will pledge yourself to throw without artifice or deceit, I will accept your challenge." Sakuni Taunt of Sakuni. said:-"If you are so fearful of losing, you had better not Yudhishthira in play at all." At these words Yudhishthira was wroth, and replied: “I have no fear either in play or war; but let me know with whom I am to play, and who is to pay me if I win." So Duryodhana came forward and said:--"I am the man with whom you are to play, and I shall lay any stakes against your stakes; but my uncle Sakuni will throw the dice for me." Then Yudhishthira said:"What manner of game is this, where one man throws and another lays the stakes?" Nevertheless he accepted the challenge, and he and Sakuni began to play.

his wrath ac

cepts the chal

lenge.

Duryodhana

proposes to lay the stakes whilst Sakuni plays.

Yudhishthira protests, but plays.

Picture of the

gambling scene

scene.

:

At this point in the narrative it may be desirable in the pavilion. to pause, and endeavour to obtain a picture of the The so-called pavilion was probably a temporary booth constructed of bamboos and interlaced with basket-work; and very likely it was decorated with flowers and leaves after the Hindú fashion, and hung with fruits, such as cocoa-nuts, mangoes, plantains, and maize. The Chieftains present seem to have sat upon the ground, and watched the game.

INDIA. PART II.

The stakes may have been pieces of gold or silver, or HISTORY OF cattle, or lands; although, according to the legendary account which follows, they included articles of a far more extravagant and imaginative character. With these passing remarks, the tradition of this memorable game may be resumed as follows:

of games.

of Yudhishthira.

So Yudhishthira and Sakuni sat down to play, and what- The succession ever Yudhishthira laid as stakes, Duryodhana laid something of equal value; but Yudhishthira lost every game. · He first lost a very beautiful pearl; next a thousand bags, Mythical losses each containing a thousand pieces of gold; next a piece of gold so pure that it was as soft as wax; next a chariot set with jewels, and hung all round with golden bells; next a thousand war elephants with golden howdahs set with diamonds; next a lakh of slaves all dressed in good garments; next a lakh of beautiful slave girls, adorned from head to foot with golden ornaments; next all the remainder of his goods; next all his cattle; and then the whole of Loses the whole of his Raj, exhis Raj, excepting only the lands which had been granted cepting the jagheers of the to the Brahmans.1 Brahmans.

Now when Yudhishthira had lost his Raj, the Chieftains present in the pavilion were of opinion that he should cease to play, but he would not listen to their words, but persisted in the game. And he staked all the jewels belonging to his brothers, and he lost them; and he staked his two Stakes his younger brothers, one after the other, and he lost them; slaves, and loses and he then staked Arjuna, and Bhíma, and finally himself, and he lost every game. Then Sakuni said to him:"You have done a bad act, Yudhishthira, in gaming away

:

1 A lakh is a hundred thousand, and a crore is a hundred lakhs, or ten millions. The Hindú term might therefore have been converted into English numerals, only that it does not seem certain that the bards meant precisely a hundred thousand slaves, but only a very large number.

The exceptional clause in favour of the Brahmans is very significant. When the little settlement at Indra-prastha had been swelled by the imagination of the later bards into an extensive Raj, the thought may have entered the minds of the Brahmanical compilers that in losing the Raj, the Brahmans might have lost those free lands, known as ínams or jagheers, which are frequently granted by pious Rajas for the subsistence of Bráhmans. Hence the insertion of the clause.

brothers as

them.

Stakes himself, and loses.

PART II.

Stakes Draupadi.

Agitation of the

and joy of the Kauravas.

HISTORY OF yourself, and becoming a slave: But now stake your wife INDIA. Draupadí, and if you win the game you will again be free." And Yudhishthira answered and said:" I will stake Draupadí!" And all assembled were greatly troubled elder Chieftains, and thought evil of Yudhishthira; and his uncle Vidura put his hand to his head and fainted away, whilst Bhishma and Drona turned deadly pale, and many of the company were very sorrowful; but Duryodhana and his brother Duhsúsana, and some others of the Kauravas, were glad in their hearts, and plainly manifested their joy. Then Sakuni threw the dice, and won Draupadí for Duryodhana.

Yudhishthira loses.

General consternation.

Duryodhana sends for Draupadi to sweep the rooms.

Then all in that assembly were in great consternation, and the Chieftains gazed upon one another without speaking a word. And Duryodhana said to his uncle Vidura:"Go now and bring Draupadí hither, and bid her sweep the rooms." But Vidura cried out against him with a loud voice, and said: "What wickedness is this? Will you not lost, as Yud-order a woman who is of noble birth, and the wife of your

Vidura protests, and urges that

Draupadi was

hishthira was

slave when he staked her.

Duryodhana sends his servant to bring Draupadi to the pavilion.

own kinsman, to become a household slave? How can you vex your brethren thus ? But Draupadí has not become your slave; for Yudhishthira lost himself before he staked his wife, and having first become a slave, he could no longer have power to stake Draupadí." Vidura then turned to the assembly and said:-"Take no heed to the words of Duryodhana, for he has lost his senses this day." Duryodhana then said:"A curse be upon this Vidura, who will do nothing that I desire him."

After this Duryodhana called one of his servants, and desired him to go to the lodgings of the Pándavas, and bring Draupadí into the pavilion. And the man departed out, and went to the lodgings of the Pándavas, and entered the presence of Draupadí, and said to her:-"Raja Yudhishthira has played you away, and you have become the slave of Raja Duryodhana: So come now and do your duty like his other slave girls." And Draupadí was astonished at these words, and exceedingly wroth, and she replied:-" Whose slave was I that I could be gambled away? And who is such a senseless fool as to gamble away his own wife?"